asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he supports the declaration by the US Secretary of State, George Shultz, at the opening of the Stockholm Disarmament Conference concerning the division of Europe and the partition of Germany; and if he will seek a similar declaration from the United States Government in respect of Ireland.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Stockholm Disarmament Conference.
3.
It would seem to me that Secretary Shultz in the part of the statement to which the Deputy's question refer was focusing mainly on the problems in the political, security, human rights and cultural areas to which the existence in Europe of different political and economic systems have given rise and on the need to pursue solutions to these problems as part of the Helsinki process. As Secretary Shultz put it, "Confidence-building in the larger sense means pursuing the work of Helsinki — through political steps to break down barriers, expand human contact and intellectual interchange, increase openness, and stretch the boundaries of the human spirit".
The Helsinki Final Act of 1975 commits all 35 signatory states, including Ireland and the USA to regard as inviolable the existing frontiers of all states in Europe while recognising that these frontiers can be changed "in accordance with international law by peaceful means and by agreement".
As regards the second part of the Deputy's question, the Government view the interest of the US Administration in the problem of Northern Ireland as a very positive and useful element in the search for a solution. President Reagan has already made clear his belief that "a lasting solution can be found only in a process of reconciliation between the two Irish political traditions and between Britain and Ireland". This year, speaking at the White House on the eve of St. Patrick's Day, the President told the Taoiseach that he was especially heartened by the Taoiseach's own efforts as well as his colleagues' in the New Ireland Forum and the British Government "to seek a democratic and peaceful reconciliation of Ireland's diverse traditions". Following the publication of the Report of the New Ireland Forum, the Deputy will be aware that the Minister for Foreign Affairs went to Washington to brief the US Administration and senior American politicians. On 4 May last the Deputy Secretary of State, Kenneth Dam, having applauded the hard work and effort that had gone into the preparation of the report, expressed the hope of the US Administration "that the Forum process and the Forum report will strengthen Anglo-Irish co-operation in resolving the Northern Ireland problem and in furthering reconciliation between the two communities".
The Government consider that these statements by President Reagan and his Administration are a very satisfactory endorsement by the United States of the work of those who peacefully seek to end the divisions in our country.
Would the Minister say, having welcomed the comments by Secretary of State, George Schultz, at the opening of the Stockholm Conference, if he would now request the Secretary of State to make a similar statement as far as this country is concerned?
The attitude of the American authorities and the American Secretary of State, in particular, with regard to the political problems on this island is well known. They have already made, in effect, statements of the type suggested by the Deputy. There is no lack of goodwill on the part of the US Administration towards a solution of these problems and a peaceful reconciliation. Their public stance is well known to all the parties who have been involved in achieving reconciliation.